Dr. Afnan Alkhaldi is the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs and Research at the Arab Open University – Kuwait . She holds a Ph.D. in Operations and Information Management from the University of Bradford, UK, and has strong expertise in smart cities, information systems, e-governance, digital transformation, and academic leadership.
Dr. Alkhaldi has held several academic and administrative roles, including Assistant Dean HQ, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Business Studies, and Curriculum Designer for the Management Information Systems and Fintech majors. She has also contributed as a consultant in economic urban planning for the Al-Hareer Smart City project within Kuwait Municipality.
Her research interests include smart cities, e-government, emerging technologies, cybersecurity, information systems management, innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital business. She has published in international journals and contributed to several book chapters and edited volumes with leading academic publishers.
Dr. Alkhaldi is actively involved in academic governance, accreditation, research development, strategic partnerships, and institutional quality enhancement, supporting the university’s mission toward academic excellence, innovation, and technology-driven education.
Dr. Afnan Alkhaldi expertly teaches Management Information Systems (MIS) and business courses, blending theoretical knowledge with practical applications to prepare students for the challenges of the modern business and technological environments.
Kuwait Municipality Information system department- Control systems development in GIS 2013 -Aug2022
IUK Adjunct Faculty of Information System August 2021 -May 2022
AOU Adjunct Faculty of Management Feb 2022 –June
Ktech Adjunct Faculty of Information System Feb 2022–June 2022
AOU Assistant Professor of Management Sep 2022-Present
Consultant in the team of economic urban planning and Alhareer smart City Jul 2023- July 2024
Assistant Dean- Acting Arab Open University - Faculty of Business Studies and Law, Deanship, Kuwait Jan 2024 - Sep 2025
Vice Rector for Academic Affairs and Research
Arab Open University – Kuwait Sep 2025 – Present
Recent Publications
Journal Articles
Alkhaldi, A. (2022). Digital Exclusion During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review of How Developed Countries Responded to Support Their Citizens. Journal of Electronic Government Research.
Alkhaldi, A. N., Alrashidi, H., Alhassan, K., & Alsadeeqi, A. (2023). The Use of Blockchain Technology to Build Smart Cities: Creating Public Value in Kuwait. Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication.
Alkhaldi, A., Malik, S., Alhaimer, R., Alshaheen, A., & Lytras, M. D. (2024). Translating a Value-Based Framework for Resilient E-Learning Impact in Post-COVID-19 Times: Research-Based Evidence from Higher Education in Kuwait. Heliyon.
Malik, S., Alkhaldi, A., Salamzadeh, A., & Mantas, C. (2024). A Systematic Literature Review on Home-Based Businesses: Two Decades of Research. Journal of Family Business Management.
Alkhaldi, A., Malik, S., & Lytras, M. D. (2025). Exploring Mobile ID Adoption in Kuwait: A TOE Framework Assessment of E-Government and Smart City Innovations. Journal of Science and Technology Policy Management.
Alhaimer, R., Alshami, A., Alkhaldi, A., Alsadeeqi, A., Aloumi, D., & Malik, S. (2025). Evaluating Public Policy Interventions in Mitigating Financial Default Risk Among SMEs. International Journal of Public Sector Performance Management.
Alhaimer, R., Alkhaldi, A. N., Alharbi, E., & Almutairi, B. (2025). Reimagining Marketing Campaigns in Kuwait: A Theoretical Exploration of Digital Transformation Through a Business Intelligence Lens. International Journal of Business Intelligence Research, 16(1), 1–30.
Alshami, A., Alhaimer, R., Alkhaldi, A., Alsadeeqi, A., Aloumi, D., & Malik, S. (2025). Investigating the Causes of Financial Default Among SMEs in Kuwait with Evidence from the National Fund for Enterprise Development. Discover Sustainability, 6(1), 681.
Book ChaptersLytras, M. D., Serban, A. C., Alkhaldi, A., Aldosemani, T., & Malik, S. (2024). Digital Transformation in Higher Education in Times of Artificial Intelligence: Setting the Emerging Landscape. In Digital Transformation in Higher Education, Part A. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Alkhaldi, A., Malik, S., & Lytras, M. D. (2024). Transformative Leadership in Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority: Investing in Talent, Innovation and the Next Generation. In Transformative Leadership and Sustainable Innovation in Education: Interdisciplinary Perspectives. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Lytras, M. D., Serban, A. C., Alkhaldi, A., Aldosemani, T., & Malik, S. (2024). Transformative Learning for Future Higher Education: The Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Learning Revolution 2035. In Digital Transformation in Higher Education, Part B. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Lytras, M. D., Alkhaldi, A., & Malik, S. (2024). Transformative Leadership and Sustainable Innovation in Higher Education: Setting the Context. In Transformative Leadership and Sustainable Innovation in Education: Interdisciplinary Perspectives. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Lytras, M. D., Serban, A. C., Alkhaldi, A., Aldosemani, T., & Malik, S. (2024). Digital Transformation for Enhanced Learning Impact and Student Experience. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Lytras, M. D., Alkhaldi, A., Malik, S., Serban, A., & Aldosemani, T. (2024). What’s Next in Higher Education: The AI Revolution 2030. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Lytras, M. D., Serban, A., Alkhaldi, A., Malik, S., & Aldosemani, T. (2024). The AI Landscape in Higher Education: Current Developments, Opportunities, and Threats. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Lytras, M. D., Alkhaldi, A., Malik, S., Serban, A. C., & Aldosemani, T. (2024). Visioning the Future of Higher Education Through Artificial Intelligence. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Lytras, M. D., Alkhaldi, A., & Malik, S. (2024). A Holistic Framework for Smart Cities Governance in the Gulf Region: From Hype to Sustainable Impact. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Malik, S., Alkhaldi, A., Al-Mansour, J., & Lytras, M. D. (2024). Digital Intersections: Synergies Between the Gig Economy and Evolution of the Smart City. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Alkhaldi, A., Malik, S., Alhammadi, S., & Lytras, M. D. (2024). The Role of Government in Ensuring Sustainability in Smart Urban Development: A Case Study of Kuwait. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Lytras, M. D., Alkhaldi, A., Malik, S., & Serban, A. C. (2024). Artificial Intelligence for Smart City Vision 2040 in Gulf Region. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Edited Books
Digital Transformation in Higher Education: Part A – Best Practices and Challenges. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Digital Transformation in Higher Education: Part B – Best Practices and Challenges. Emerald Publishing Limited.
The Evolution of Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education. Emerald Publishing Limited.
The Emerald Handbook of Smart Cities in the Gulf Region. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Smart Cities in the Gulf Region: Innovation, Development, Transformation. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Future-Proof: Innovative Approaches to Management and Digital Transformation in Modern Business. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Civic Synergy: Leading and Managing the Evolution of Smart Cities. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Innovation Management for a Resilient Digital Economy. IGI Global.
Insights Into Digital Business, Human Resource Management, and Competitiveness. IGI Global.
Harnessing AI, Blockchain, and Cloud Computing for Enhanced e-Government Services. IGI Global.
Academic Conference PresentationsAlkhaldi, A. N., Weerakkody, V., & Sivarajah, U. (2018). Investigating the Relationship Between Technology Readiness and Acceptance Quality, E-Satisfaction, E-Loyalty, and E-WOM. Presented at the British Academy of Management Conference, UK.
Alkhaldi, A., & Alrashidi, H. (2023). Investigating the Service Quality Factors That Influence the Use of Sahel Service in Kuwait. Presented at Innovation and Technological Advances for Sustainable Development, Doha.
